Unlike those sweaters gifted from your sartorially-challenged aunt, new crostini recipes are always welcome during the holidays. We love them because they're at once stylish and unfussy: just slice, toast, slather, and serve.

In the coming weeks, we'll be plying our party guests with these addictive crostini from Philip Rubino, who runs Moderno and other eateries just beyond Chicago's northern limits. Rubino tops toasted baguette slices with ribbons of lard, then broils the crostini until the fat just begins to dissolve. Before serving, he swipes each one with a pesto of sage and black walnuts, which are more robust in flavor than the English walnuts that line supermarket aisles.